Love/Hate star Peter O’Meara defended his portrayal of a dodgy dentist on the hit show following a backlash from the Irish Dental Association.

The 44-year-old actor plays broke middle-class professional Andrew who is gearing up to be the latest member of Nidge’s gang.

Peter said: “It’s a character on a show. That said, I happen to know there are dentists who encourage people to get work done that they don’t necessarily need done.

“People who are wearing braces that they don’t need, fillings, whatever it is.

“My dad is 87 and he had a perfectly good tooth taken out by a hungover dentist two years ago.

“It happens. Just as there is medical malpractice with doctors, there are some dentists who are not entirely pure in their business conduct.”

Earlier this week an outraged IDA insisted the show “is not an accurate portrayal of real-life dentists”.

It added: “It is a TV drama – a work of fiction. It’s not a fair representation of working dentists.”

With an appetite for cocaine and prostitutes, Andrew has already scammed his patients by conducting expensive crown surgery on healthy teeth.

In a developing storyline, crime boss Nidge seizes on Andrew as a potential drugs mule when he fails to pay his brothel bill.

Peter as Brian Lenihan in the upcoming drama about Charles Haughey (Photo: John Dardis)

Love/Hate’s fourth series has been a ratings hit with 936,900 viewers tuning in for last Sunday’s instalment of the RTE show.

In the episode they saw Andrew offer to work as a financial Mr Fixit, with mob enforcer Fran angling for a new set of teeth.

A theatre actor by trade, Peter shot to fame in the groundbreaking HBO series Band Of Brothers playing 1st Lieutenant Norman Dike.

The star, who has been living in Los Angeles for more than a decade, garnered a popular following on US television show Peacemakers as Det Larimer Finch, bringing the science of the future to the Old West.

Peter went on to star in season four of Alias as international arms dealer Martin Bishop opposite Jennifer Garner.

He has also featured in CSI: NY with Gary Sinise, Without A Trace with Anthony LaPaglia and The Forgotten with Christian Slater, among others.

Despite having to flash his bottom in the first episode of Love/Hate, Peter said he was thrilled to win the gritty role and be back working in Ireland.

He added: “Love/Hate is the greatest dramatic television show in the English speaking world now that Breaking Bad is off the air.

“I had no idea where the character was going to go.

“I was literally going from script to script so I had no idea what path Andrew was going to take. It’s growing more exciting every week.

“What’s great is to come home to a show of this calibre because they are not making shows like this in LA.

“They couldn’t, there would be too many executives complaining about its content, violent nature and bad language.

“It’s a testament to Jane Gogan’s leadership at RTE that this has been allowed on the air and so well supported.

“Everyone has been so welcoming and so inclusive and made me feel very safe. David Caffrey, the director, creates a really safe, happy environment.

“It’s a very violent and often sad and depressing show but it’s an incredibly happy place to work.”

He added: “I’m amazed at the Irish talent. When I left 15/18 years ago we weren’t making drama and there wasn’t that much work to be had.

“The only person making movies was Jim Sheridan and if you didn’t come from Sheriff Street then forget about it.

“Suddenly we now have this blossoming talent, I’m amazed at the gifts of Tom Vaughan Lawlor (who plays Nidge), he’s terrific.”

Peter in Band Of Brothers

Peter, who also used to present RTE children’s show Echo Island, is currently working alongside some of the Love/Hate cast in an upcoming RTÉ biopic of former Taoiseach, Charlie Haughey.

He portrays then Tánaiste, the late Brian Lenihan Snr.

‘Charlie’, a three-part drama directed by Kenny Glenaan and Charlie McCarthy, covers the period from the former taoiseach’s bid for power in 1979 and chronicles his attempts to maintain that power until his departure from politics in 1992.

“Tom and I were just saying ‘there’s a real lack of guns on this show,” he joked. “It’s a very different beast.”

The actor said he is currently enjoying his moment in the spotlight and is often approached on the street by fans.

“People have been so nice and lovely because they love the show so much. I’ve never had such instant recognition. I’m loving it, it’s very creative and spiritually rewarding to be validated that way by people.”

Flame-haried actress Kelly Campbell, who first appeared on our screens 10 years ago in Bachelors Walk, plays Andrew’s estranged wife Una in the show.

“It’s very exciting to be a part of such as successful show,” she said yesterday.

“It’s a real honour. It’s so established in the forth season. We have very little work to do in terms of earning people’s attention as we fit around the main story.